A Most Worthy Gift for a Princess

A Most Worthy Gift for a Princess


There was once a beautiful princess, born to the King and Queen of the Hilltops. Her arrival was met with a gasp of awe as her beauty fell like sunshine over the Kingdom.

She was safely cradled in her mother's arms, draped in finery, wherever she went. Her golden locks were adorned with thousands of birds, who were her constant companions and would sing her to sleep in the darkness. Her mother named her Adorna and planted rare flowers throughout the Palace in her name.

For the first year of the child's life there was nothing but peace - a tangible, shared relaxation that settled over the Kingdom as though all its inhabitants had sighed together. As her first birthday approached the Palace was over-run with gift-bearers, who would stand outside the Palace gates in their thousands. The men and women gave material goods - dolls with blackened curls and teddy bears made of the softest fur. The sages bestowed upon her beauty and long-life, as they had given to every royal born. The elves, tiny creatures, emerged from the mountains that bordered the land to give the rarest plants and flowers, with the strangest, sweetest scents.

The princess’s father, who doted on the child, decided to travel the land in search of a worthy gift for his daughter. One morning he gathered together his most trusted servants and his most majestic horses and set off on his quest.

On the first day, the King and his men travelled deep in to the forests to meet with the conjurers of the land. The conjurers had lived in the woods for many, many years and were capable of completing any task. However, rarely were they approached, for they had cast many a spell upon the trees, banishing those with selfish intent. The King, his head filled with love for Adorna, paused at the edge of the woods, and the trees bowed down to him. He and his men passed through the forests with ease, and soon found the seven conjurers.

“Kind conjurers, show me a gift worthy of a princess,” said the King.

The eldest of the conjurers, a man with a crooked spine and crooked nose, stepped forward. He plucked a pink rose from a nearby rose bush, held it flat in his palm and closed his eyes. The King waited, and as the crooked man opened his eyes, the King saw that the flower’s colour had begun to change. The pale pink hue seemed to be washing away, leaving behind a soft blue through which patches of white could be seen.

“This rose, my King, reflects the sky. Should there be sunshine then expect the flower to turn to the prettiest yellow, in rain you shall see a murky darkness and a rose-rainbow is certainly a sight to behold! This is a most magical gift for the Princess,” said the crooked man, giving a crooked smile.

“Why thank you, good sir. But my daughter will one day rule this land and everything around it. What use will she have of your sky-rose if she will one day own the sky?” replied the King. “I thank you for this generous gift, but it is not what I am looking for.” And with that the King and his servants left the forests and continued on their quest.

On the second day, the King and his men travelled to the deepest lake in the land. In the lake lived many a mermaid, known to be the prettiest creatures of all. The King stood at the edge of the lake and cried out,
“Kind mermaids, show me a gift worthy of a princess.”

One by one, the mermaids began to surface from the depths of the lake, poking out their heads to peek at the King. The prettiest of them reached down and plucked from her own tail a small blue scale which she handed to the King.

“With this scale your daughter will be able to swim any length, for any time, in any weather and in any water. It is a most useful gift that no other human could ever hope to have.” She giggled and flicked her tail.

“Why thank you, good lady. But my daughter will one day rule this land and everything in it. What use will she have of your pink scale if she will one day own a fleet of ships?” replied the King. “I thank you for this generous gift, but it is not what I am looking for.” And with that the King and his servants left the lake and continued on their quest.

On the third day, the King and his men travelled to the highest volcano in the land. At the bottom of the volcano lived many giants, who were known to withstand even the most extreme heat. The King stood at the bottom of the volcano and shouted,
“Kind giants, show me a gift worthy of a princess.”

Slowly, the gargantuan men began to appear. The tallest of them reached down to peer at the tiny King and handed to him a shiny red ruby.

“With this ruby your daughter will be able to control even the most unruly fire. She will be able to both conjure and extinguish any flame. It is a most handsome gift,” he boomed.

“Why thank you, good giant. But my daughter will one day rule this land and every part of it. What use will she have of your ruby if she will one day be the ruler of all of the elements?” replied the King. “I thank you for this generous gift, but it is not what I am looking for.” And with that the King and his servants left the volcano, heading for the nearest town.

“It is no use!” exclaimed the King astride his horse, “There is not a gift in the land which is suitable for my princess!”

“Please, your Majesty, perhaps we can help you,” said one of his men, “Tell us, tell us. What exactly are you looking for?”

The King pondered this for a moment before replying.

“I am looking for something as majestic as the blood that flows through Adorna’s veins. I am looking for something as beautiful as she. I am looking for something that will help her in life, something special. Something that cannot be created by man, woman or child.”

It was at this precise moment that one of the servants noticed a figure dressed in black ambling down the path towards them.

“Your Majesty, a peasant approaches.”

The King peered into the distance and saw the advancing person. He drew his horse to a gallop to meet with the newcomer for he was a very friendly King who liked to associate himself with people from all walks of life. The King was soon quite a distance ahead from his men, and as he drew closer, he saw that the peasant was an old beggar woman dressed in tattered black rags. She carried a large wicker basket covered with yet more rags. Out of the corner of his eye, the King thought he saw the basket twitch.

“Excuse me! I do not mean to offend, but you look like a good meal is in order. My servants and I have far too much bread, please take some,” the kindly King said.

The beggar women looked curiously up at the King.

“In return for what, good sir?” she asked.

The King was taken aback. The woman clearly did not recognize him and it had been a long time since the King had not been recognized.

“Woman! Do you not recognize your own King?” he demanded.

“King?” A look of confusion flashed across the woman’s face. She suddenly beamed, as if she had just remembered something she had long ago forgotten. “My apologies. And many thanks for your offer of bread. And in return I shall give you this gift.” The beggar women held out her basket to the King.

“I seek no gift.” said the King and the woman smiled as if she new something the King did not.

“You seek something that cannot be created by man, woman or child.” She said mysteriously. The King was alarmed. How had this woman heard his conversation when she had clearly been so far away? He was about to ask this question when he heard the sound of his servant’s horses finally approaching behind him. Startled, he turned to face them but when he turned back to the beggar woman she had gone, leaving only the basket. The King and the servants looked around in astonishment, but the land was clear for miles with no sign of the woman.

“My lord, what has the peasant left for you?” asked one of the King’s men.
The King picked up the basket from the floor and cautiously peered under the rags. Upon seeing what the basket held he looked at his servants in wonder.

“The peasant has left me the gift I have longed for,” said the King. And with that he threw back the rags from the basket to reveal a fat, ginger cat. “We will return to the Palace.”

And so the King and his men returned home with the cat, a perfect gift for the princess. It was only upon arriving at the Palace gates that the King realized the woman had not even taken his bread.


(1578 words)